WATERFALLS

Water in all its forms, icebergs, snowflakes, oceans, lakes and rivers has a fascination of its own. But none can surpass the awesome beauty of waterfall.

There are about sixteen principal waterfalls in Sri Lanka. Of these Bambarakanda waterfall is the highest, with a height of about 240 metres. Dunhinda which is perhaps the best known of all the waterfalls gets its name from the smoke like spray it creates as its water falls into the rock pool below hence the name 'Dunhinda'. Dunhinda, Ravana Ella, Diyaluma all have strange legends which explain how they got their names.

According to legend  this is how Diyaluma, which literally means skein of water, got its name. A prince flees from his enemies. He is accompanied by his princess. As they run they come to a huge rock. The prince climbs up the rock with difficulty and throws down a vine for his princess to climb up. The princess catches hold of the vine and the prince begins to haul her up. But half way up the rock the vine gets entangled in a rock crevice and hangs between the top of the rock and the ground below. The princess dies. The deity of the forest sees this and makes the girl immortal by turning her into a slim skein of water. That is how Diyaluma got its name.
Bopath Ella is another waterfall well known for its beauty of formation. In this, the water falls gracefully in the shape of a 'bo' leaf.

Water falls are not just pretty things. They have a majesty of their own. They are delights of nature to be experienced and felt, not just seen only.